PHOTOS: First Meeting Held in New Municipal Building

On Monday afternoon Township Manager Helene Schlegel and her staff were busy putting the finishing touches on the new Municipal Building so it was ready to host its first meeting on Tuesday night. 

Schlegel the more than year long transition has been a "major project," but seeing the end result has been rewarding. "We're within budget and I think it looks good," she said. 

At Tuesday's meeting it was Schlegel who officially welcomed the Mayor and Council and those in attendance to the new building. Mayor Robert Walsh commended the work done to get to get them into their new home. "I think you've done a tremendous job, you and your staff and all the workers of Howell Township," he said. "I walked up the stairs today and to say I was impressed was an understatement."

The first member of the public to speak on Tuesday was Howell resident and Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden who started by simply saying, "This is cool." He added, "It is with a really great sense of pride that I come here tonight. I say that not really as Sheriff of Monmouth County but as a resident up here in Howell Township."

Golden called the efforts undertaken by the township as being, "on the forefront of governance." He added that the building "should be in our governance magazines as an example of what good governance is today. Bringing in income, reviving a building and consolidating all of our resources and operations in the township that were scattered in so many buildings throughout the township. It's just refreshing to see that kind of effort."

Like many residents Golden said he will miss the old building but is looking forward to the future of the township. "I think it was time to move on," he said. "I think it was the right decision for the residents of Howell Township."

The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders was also represented on Tuesday by Freeholders Tom Arnone and Serena DiMaso. "This is absolutely a gorgeous facility," Arnone said.

As a former mayor of Neptune Arnone said he understood the decisions the council had to make before the move. "I know sometimes you have to make tough decisions that might not be the most popular decision, but with what your vision is best for your municipality and you did that."

DiMaso said she was also glad to be part of the night. "I heard all the great things and all the efforts that were put forward in getting this effort done," she said. "You are truly an example and when you work as hard as you do you set the goal for the rest of the municipalities and you make the Freeholders and Monmouth County the place you want to live."

Assemblyman Sean Kean was also in attendance and credited the administration for their work. "The word is public private partnership," he said. "That's what you've done and it's a brilliant stroke. It's a beautiful building and I think for generations to come it's going to be something all of us can be proud of and certainly all of you should be proud of it and of your staff who worked so hard on this."

Former Mayor Joe DiBella also came out to Tuesday's meeting to see the new complex. "I certainly can appreciate the diversity that we have in our community and the differences of opinion that we have from time to time," he said. "I applaud your vision and your decision to make this happen. This was the right thing to do for our community."

Also in attendance was former Mayor and Chief of Police Harvey Morrell who said with the move to Route 9, "We have finally turned a corner I believe and we're becoming a first class community and it's all because of your hard work."

Mayor Walsh may have been the first person to gavel a meeting to order in the new building, but he was not the last person to adjourn a meeting in the old one. That honor belonged to Zoning Board Chairman Stephen Meier who held the last meeting on Preventorium Road and was the last to turn out the lights on the old building. "We knew we were the last," he said. "You just didn't quite know what you were supposed to do on the way out."

Meier said he will have "fond memories," of the building, but "we'll do what we have to do here." 

After the night was over the Mayor called the first meeting in the new building, "a dream come true." He added, "Being there and talking to the workers at the other town hall something had to be done," he said. "It was the right opportunity at the right time at the right price. I'll always be proud of the decision."

He said while he feels good about the decision he knows it was not always a popular one with all the residents. "It's not easy sitting up here taking a pounding, but I'm the type of person that if I believe what I'm doing is right for the people I'm willing to take the pounding and keep on going."

Walsh called the move a "prudent business decision to put everybody together to make the town more efficient, run better, have a better working environment for the people and at the same time it will just be a tremendous win for the people of Howell Township."

Councilman Juan Malave, who will wrap up his second stint on the council in January said the move had been discussed many years ago and it was something he was in favor of at the time. "I thought it was a good idea then," he said. "However the market was extremely high back then." The fact that the township was able to get the building at a considerably cheaper price made the move that much more attractive to the councilman. "I do truly believe that it's the right thing to do for the citizens of Howell Township," he said. "This is a place, a building that's going to stand tall for generations."

Calling it a "Long road and a long time coming," Councilman Robert Nicastro said Tuesday was, "an exciting night." he added, "I believe this new town hall solidifies us as a town. This building will be the focal point of the town and the center of government for many years."

One of the biggest supporters of the move on the council was Deputy Mayor William Gotto. Seeing the project near completion was a point of pride as he left the buildling. "There was never a doubt in my mind that this was the right thing to do," he said. "I don't know that everybody got it, I don't know that everybody understood what the vision was but there is no doubt about what the vision was when you come here now."

Having seen the building go through the renovation process Gotto said, "Exactly the way it looks is exactly the way I thought it would be."

Understanding that it was not always a popular decision he added, "At the end of the day this administration had a plan and that's what we do. We take a look at a problem, we put together a plan and we execute the plan." 

The transition of other offices is also continuing this week with the tax building moving into the Route 9 building on Thursday. The Municipal Offices will be closed on Nov. 6 for Election Day and Nov. 12 for Veterans Day. 

The next meeting of the Mayor and Council is scheduled for Nov. 20 with the regular session starting at 7:30.